The Open Cloud: If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It

Remember when software used to be rolled out on year-long cycles? When you would wait with baited breath for the next big application for your PC, or for the next big game? Once upon a time, all the latest and greatest software was typically so expensive that only businesses and companies could afford the bleeding edge applications and systems for things like video conferencing, 3D modeling and programming suites. The democratization of IT has changed this, and a central player in this game has been the cloud. I love how the cloud has accelerated the speed of innovation.

With the proliferation of open-sourced tools and communities, developers and hobbyists can not only collaborate on large open source projects, but also can gain the knowledge to work on personal projects to solve unique problems. However, in the past there was a barrier: compute power and servers posed a substantial cost. Either you had to purchase a piece of equipment yourself, or you signed a long-term contract for dedicated hosting. This proved cost prohibitive for that particular app developer or entrepreneur who was pursuing an idea.

I find it interesting that both the cloud and mobile revolution occurred in tandem in the late 2000s. On one hand, powerful technology was literally put in the hands of most consumers, allowing them to do much more with their devices than make a call. On the other, pay-as-you-use cloud servers and cloud storage enabled a new crop of developers to make little bets on new applications and software to power these devices. They had the tools to develop their ideas, they had the platforms to deliver their software directly to consumers and they now had an affordable hosting option that would not leave them destitute if their idea didn’t turn out the way they hoped.

The Rackspace Cloud has helped power many of the applications that fuel everyday life. With powerful cloud computing coupled with hourly pricing, we now live in an era that embodies what Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

About the Author

This is a post written and contributed by
Garrett Heath.

Garrett Heath is a Racker who works in Rackspace Marketing and has had experience as a technical project manager in the Cloud. He enjoys writing about how the cloud is spurring innovation for startups, small businesses and enterprises. You can read his personal blog for where he likes to eat in San Antonio.